I bought some Marine Snow invertebrate food about 3 weeks ago and started using it intermittently. Now, 2 days after using just a small dose for the third time, a few corals, some snails, and an urchin are dying or dead. I know that I'm supposed to provide tank parameters and such, but I'm just curious if anybody else has heard of this?
Two Little Fishies Marine Snow
- Thread starter bNewman
- Start date
DesertOrchid
Active Member
I haven't heard of any problems. Perhaps it is raising the ammonia levels? Good luck and sorry about your losses.
That sucks! sorry to hear this! Any "liquid" food has a high potential to "Over Feed" the tank but this wouldn't account for a sudden loss of life. If I were you I would do this:
A) Add a couple bags of CARBON to the tank YESTERDAY
B) Get newly mixed salt water up to par ready for large water change(s)
C) Get a full set of parameter tests BEFORE the water change
A) Add a couple bags of CARBON to the tank YESTERDAY
B) Get newly mixed salt water up to par ready for large water change(s)
C) Get a full set of parameter tests BEFORE the water change
I have a 55g tank and I've used about half the recommended dose once a week now. Monday morning(8/29/2011) was when I added it for the 3rd time, and the next day is when things didn't "wake up". Only 2 of 6 small lps corals, and maybe 5 different snails died. Everything else, including all the zoanthids seem fine as of now.
The problem is that other than some fish flake food and calcium powder with fresh water, the marine snow is the ONLY thing I've added to the tank in about 3 months, so what else could it be?
The problem is that other than some fish flake food and calcium powder with fresh water, the marine snow is the ONLY thing I've added to the tank in about 3 months, so what else could it be?
This is an OLD thread that I found trying to read how to feed this product to my tank....It had very good reviews every where it was being sold that I found. Now I'm not so sure I should use it 
Anyone using it?
This is what I bought:
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=4965
Anyone using it?
This is what I bought:
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=4965
Oxylebius
Well-Known Member
Yes, I use it and have been using it for a long while now. After you open it keep it in the frig. I use a cap full once a week. If you are using it for the first time you will need to slowly build up its usage. It is like overfeeding at first in that you have to allow the tank to build up bacteria to break down what is not being eaten.
I feed a half hour before the lights go out, that way any left over in the tank can get eaten by nocturnal feeding corals. I also use it the day before I do my weekly water change. Not sure this makes a difference, but as a precaution any left over food or build up of ammonia gets taken out the next day by the water change.
When I use it: I cut the pumps to the tank. I mix a cap full of marine snow with a cap full of phytoplex and a square of frozen rotifers. I mix this solution in a cup with tank water until it becomes a little diluted. Then I take a large pipette and spot feed all corals/gorgonians. The fish will begin to go for the rotifers after a couple of applications. Then I turn on one pump, the one that is less powerful, for about a half hour to allow a little flow around the tank so that the corals/gorgonian pick up the food. Then the other pump and about this time the lights turn off.
I hope this is helpful. Not that you have to mimic it, but hopefully helpful. Marine snow is thick, so what ever you do, you may want to mix it w/tank water to thin it out.
I'm sure others have other suggestions as well. But, this has worked well for me.
I feed a half hour before the lights go out, that way any left over in the tank can get eaten by nocturnal feeding corals. I also use it the day before I do my weekly water change. Not sure this makes a difference, but as a precaution any left over food or build up of ammonia gets taken out the next day by the water change.
When I use it: I cut the pumps to the tank. I mix a cap full of marine snow with a cap full of phytoplex and a square of frozen rotifers. I mix this solution in a cup with tank water until it becomes a little diluted. Then I take a large pipette and spot feed all corals/gorgonians. The fish will begin to go for the rotifers after a couple of applications. Then I turn on one pump, the one that is less powerful, for about a half hour to allow a little flow around the tank so that the corals/gorgonian pick up the food. Then the other pump and about this time the lights turn off.
I hope this is helpful. Not that you have to mimic it, but hopefully helpful. Marine snow is thick, so what ever you do, you may want to mix it w/tank water to thin it out.
I'm sure others have other suggestions as well. But, this has worked well for me.
drumlife05
Member
I just bought some marine snow...great reviews on Amazon. I'll follow your guys' lead and dose slowly...
